FROM OUR PRESIDENT

Amy A. Schellekens

34th President of D.A.W.L.

I am honored to serve as the 34th President of the DuPage Association of Women Lawyers. In 1980 when the Honorable Helen C. Kinney, DuPage County’s first female Assistant State's Attorney and first female Judge, called a small number of women practicing law in the county into her courtroom for a gathering, she laid the foundation for an organization which would provide significant contributions to help shape the legal community of DuPage County and advance the interests of women lawyers.
Following the legacy of our founder and several of our past presidents, this organization continues to make significant contributions to the DuPage County legal community. Our most significant contribution was the founding of Safe Harbor, the children’s waiting room at the DuPage County Courthouse in Wheaton, Illinois and the creation of its not-for-profit operator, the Child Friendly Courts Foundation. For the last three years, we have enjoyed a partnership with the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana by hosting a legal career track program and a mock trial event for local girl scouts who are interested in becoming lawyers or legal professionals.
Today, our experience ranges from young lawyers, recent career changers, to pioneering practitioners and judges with decades of experience. It is the opportunity to share this breadth and depth of wisdom, from the woman lawyer’s point of view, that makes D.A.W.L. a unique legal association.
I invite you to join or renew your membership and enjoy the benefits that our membership has to offer. D.A.W.L. members enjoy benefits with the Illinois State Mutual Insurance Company. Membership also allows for member only discounts to our various D.A.W.L. sponsored events. Our members also have the opportunity to network and cultivate professional relationships with other members and the DuPage legal community, which includes judges. Become a part of our history and participate in our efforts to have an active and progressive voice in the legal community.